How should consumers react to disruptions in the public transportation system?

Until a few years ago, I used to take public transportation on a regular basis. It was usually a hectic and frustrating experience as consumers have to contend with irregular and sometimes poor service as well as an increase in fares.

I think the thing I hated the most was when disgruntled providers of public transportation withdrew their services without any warning to their customers.

Imagine standing at the bus stop for hours with no bus in sight and having no idea that they won’t be coming for the rest of the day!
This can be a very annoying experience as often your schedule for the entire day has now been disrupted.

So how should consumers respond when they face any disruptions in the transportation system?
The best thing to do is to keep informed.

By keeping abreast of the latest news stories then you can plan ahead.
However, if you are already at the bus stop when you realize there is no transportation available, the most important thing to do is to stay calm.
Try to think what alternative routes you could take that might not affected by the strike or investigate if there are some types of transportation that are still available.
A number of persons, who were affected by a recent withdrawal of services by drivers of public transportation, were seen ‘begging’ rides especially from persons who drove open back pickups.

This is a dangerous practice however, as they were seen overloading the vehicles which could cause accidents.
There are also the various dangers inherent in accepting rides from strangers.

The safest thing to do would be to call a friend or a private cab service to pick you up. Private cab services however, can cost up to $1000.00 depending on your destination.
So this option can prove quite costly.
The cheapest alternative would of course be to walk to your destination.

Does this seem to be an unrealistic option?
Last week Friday, a number of students from a prominent high school were seen walking along the Nelson Mandela Highway in Spanish Town as they were experiencing challenges in getting some types of public transportation.

They walked in groups which was a good idea as they were able to give each other moral support and protection.
Another safe option is to join a car pool. I have always advocated for car pooling as this saves time and energy. If you give a modest contribution to the driver you can encourage them to continue to drive you to your destination so that you don’t have to worry anymore about strikes!

How do you cope when drivers of public transportation vehicles withdraw their services?

Drop a line to let me know!
Teri Ann Renee Paisley
Gleaner Online Writer